Here we go again with the self-appointed EM residency "expert" from OSU.
Why would you try to dissuade someone from attending OU when you know absolutely nothing about the program? You don't see me on the OSU forums trying to convince people why OU is such a great program, or why they wouldn't want to go to OSU, so why do you butt into every OU forum trying to do the same?
Give me a break. Like you, I was a paramedic for 7 years before going to medical school, am currently planning on doing emergency medicine, and am taking full advantage of opportunities offered here, including 1st and 2nd year clinical rotations in EM, 4th year selectives in EM, away rotations, and am the clinical coordinator for our Emergency Medicine Interest Group which does EMSA ride-along programs, advanced airway clinics, etc. We have plenty of great EM physician mentors around the metro that are gung ho in helping us with our pursuits, LOR's, etc. and our 4th year students go on to do away rotations and EM residencies at some of the top programs in the nation (Vandy, Denver, LA county, etc.).
Not to get into a pissing match, but I'm not sure who this supposed paramedic is that you're describiing. There's only one other paramedic besides me at OU (he's a 4th year) and we're both quite happy where we're at with no regrets, and no "realizations" that we should have gone to OSU. We both chose OU over OSU for several reasons, those being academic, facilities and online resources, to name a few. The fact that there's no allopathic EM residency in Oklahoma is actually quite irrelevant. Most people go out of state for their residencies anyway, and the fact that the allopathic RRC standards are much higher for emergency medicine residencies versus osteoathic RRC, means that it's much more difficult to get a new allopathic residency going (thus they can't pop up all overnight all over the place like DO residencies. 4 EM residencies in OK? Bit of overkill, don't you think?). In the long run, this means that the likelihood of being halfway through residency and having it collapse or be shut down is much less.
In the long run, I most certainly wouldn't place my education on the line for a factor such as residency location, when the vast majority will either change their minds about specialty, or at least location.
Example: Somebody who "wants" to do EM, opts to go to OSU instead of OU. Halfway through 3rd year, they realize that they don't really like EM or any of the primary care specialties, but instead really want to do one of the competitive surgical subspecialities.
Now lets see, which would be easier. An MD student to move out of Oklahoma to do EM (big whoop), or a DO student to get a cardiovascular surgery, derm, plastics, urology, ENT, interventional rads, etc. residency?
Note, I didn't say the latter was impossible, but we all know the difficult reality.
Which situation would you rather be in?
I like the security of knowing that whatever I want to do, it's one set of board exams, and one move away. It's all about maximizing your potential, and that to me, was enough to choose OU over OSU.
(Note: I actually really like OSU, it's small, kinda "homey" and the people are nice, mature and intelligent, I wanted to go there for the last 10 years prior to med school, and I only made the decision to attend OU over OSU after receiving acceptance from both, and coming face to face with the benefits of each. In addition, it was a more difficult transition for me and my family to move to OKC than Tulsa, but in the end, the above reasons were key.)
My main reason for not wantinig to go to OU? I thought the students would be immature and snotty. Since being here, I've found it to be completely opposite. My classmates are among some of the brightest and friendliest people I've ever had the opportunity to be around. My only complaint about OU is that we have a farther walk to class than the dental students. Everything else is awesome, with the best benefit I've found so far, the ability to homeschool extremely successfully. For example, as I'm typing this, my 3 year old has 104 F temp, and is staying home with me while I study. No pressures to attend class. Today I'm looking over bacterial toxins and studying cardiovascular assesment, in the comfort of my recliner. Forget notegroups, hippocrates, and all that stuff as the primary reason to come to OU, being able to study 3 or 4 hrs a day, and then have the rest of the day off, because you weren't required to sit in class for 6 additional hours (plus the $$$ in gas to get there and back), is A+++, #1 benefit for me.
My $.02? OU is a great place to be, and I look forward to the Class of 2010 starting next fall.
Good luck to everyone on their application cycle, and if you need any help or questions answered, feel free to post them here, and I or the others on here will do our best to assist in whatever ways we can.
), but I'm sort of p&ssed at myself anyway. The good news is that I think I'm over my anatomy phobia and have realized that it is indeed doable. 
